Scientific classification

Class: Aves

Order: Charadriiformes

Family: Laridae

Subfamily: Larinae

Genus:Larus Linnaeus, 1758

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Incorporates Chroicocephalus, Leucophaeus and Ichthyaetus; several other genera, including Saundersilarus and Hydrocoloeus, have often been included in Larus, as occasionally have Xema and even Rissa, but all of these appear distinct. Recent genetic studies found that Larus as previously constituted was polyphyletic#R#R; some workers propose solving this by the removal of many species to other genera#R; a subsequent study, with much larger sample analysed, concluded that, in order to retain the monophyly of Larus, only two species (saundersi and minutus) would need to be moved to different genera#R, an arrangement followed here.